Mars finds 'DeSalvation'
CRANBERRY TWP — The baseball action Thursday at North Boundary Park lasted just one half hour.
But Mars used those 30 minutes to keep its title hopes alive.
In the continuation of Game 4 of the Eagle County League championship series, which was suspended after six innings Wednesday due to darkness, Joe Sibeto doubled home Matt Johnston in the top of the eighth inning to lift Mars to an 11-10 triumph over Cranberry Township.
The result ties the best-of-five series at two games apiece. The fifth and deciding game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Mars Boro Field.
“We've told each other all series that if something bad happens in the first couple of innings, just put it behind you,” said Mars player/manager Brendan Malone. “But if that happened today, we would have lost.”
The top of the eighth began with a great defensive play from Cranberry center fielder Dave Coradi, who made a diving catch on a ball hit by Malone. With two outs, Johnston doubled to left, followed by Sibeto's two-bagger. Both hits came off of Cranberry's Dave Cricks.
“Their center fielder made a heck of a catch on my ball,” said Malone, “but our young guys came through for us.”
Mars rallied from a 5-1 deficit after two innings of Wednesday's play.
“We had our backs against the wall here,” said Sibeto, Mars' catcher. “But we never gave up. We know we have what it takes to win it all.”
Cricks and Mars' pitcher Matt DeSalvo both started Monday in Game 2, which was won by Cranberry 6-0. Neither worked on Wednesday.
“I contacted Dave last night,” said Cranberry player/manager Bill Clinefelter. “He wasn't sure he could go, but showed up today and threw a side session. It was about 10 minutes before the game when he told me he was good.”
If DeSalvo hadn't been able to go, Malone would have been in a bind.
“We had nobody else available,” he said. “He's our horse.”
DeSalvo came through in the bottom of the seventh. Brandon Pouch singled with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. After a walk to Coradi, DeSalvo induced Cricks to ground out to end the threat. The former then worked a perfect eighth inning to cap the win.
To claim its first-ever league championship, Cranberry will have to topple Mars on its home field, which has been known to yield some wild, high-scoring games.
“I'm not concerned about that,” said Clinefelter. “We've out-hit them (43-22) and out-homered them (2-1) in this series.”
Mars 012 430 01 — 11 13 3
Cranberry Twp. 410 050 00 — 10 12 2
W: Matt DeSalvo 2 IP (3K, 1BB). L: Dave Cricks 2 IP (2K, 1BB).
Mars: Rick Krist 1B 3B 2RBI, Brendan Malone 2B R RBI, Matt Johnston 2-1B 2B 2R RBI, Joe Sibeto 2B R RBI, Scott Ventura 1B, Garett Goslaw 2-1B 2R, Peyton Russoniello 2B 3B 2R 3RBI, Jim Musgrave 1B 3R RBI
Cranberry Township: John Brittner 3-1B 2R, Joel Shaffer 1B 2R, Brandon Pouch 1B 2R, Reed Tomlinson 3-1B R RBI, Steve Anderson 1B 2R RBI, Ben Murray 3-1B R 2RBI, Ian Steighner 1B RBI, Bill Clinefelter 1B RBI
Friday: Cranberry Township vs. Mars, Game 5 at Mars Boro Field, 6 p.m.
